Begging at God's Table

I sit and wrestle with divinity
my little mind wrestles with the mysteries of God
so much you have taught me
so much you have shown me
little scraps from your table
back I come begging
searching
wondering
what a foolish endeavor
to think I might understand you God who is beyond all human comprehension
God who made all that is and stands apart from everything I know and see
God who interacts with Creation
Apart from anything I know
Apart from anything I see
Untouchable
Wisdom beyond measure
Love never-ending
Yet I come back for more
More scraps at your table to savor
I come back because you have been so generous to me
so generous to share with me, just what I needed, just as I needed it
to serve you
At times, I thought I might fully grasp you
In my arrogance, I thought too much of myself
Can I be at peace, in knowing in part but not in whole?
Can I rest in what you've done? and what you've shown?
Your Holy Spirit convicts me and moves me
Your truth burns in my soul
Love, justice, mercy, joy, peace, and patience
they point beyond and assure me of what is
That you God, you God stand behind it
You move me, you guide me, in your paths of righteousness
You move me where I desire to be, where I love to be
In your goodness, in your grace, with purpose and joy supreme

even when it doesn't make sense,
even when its hard times
this I know, you have been good to me
scraps I've savored from your table
by no merit on my own
but because you are good, and you desire to share with me

Can you hear Truth?

Can you hear?
Can you see?
Can you touch and taste?
When truth is spoken, is it a sweet sound?
When truth is revealed is it a beautiful piece of art?

When intelligence is obvious,
when design is apparent,
when "I think therefore I am,"
when we find ourselves in limited control
of this planet,
do we hear?
What do we see?

How hardened is the heart?
How dead is the soul?
That truth echoes back,
but does not take root.

How blind the eyes?
How deaf the ears?
When nature explains,
when flowers cry out!

How sweet an opportunity,
how precious the time,
"Go and reproduce."
"Go and rule and subdue."
You will be like Me,
You will rule.
You will rule this pile of dirt.

So go now,
go and listen to your heart,
go and embrace love,
go and freely take and freely give,
"I will not manipulate you."
"I will not force you."
"Go now."
Enjoy.

How good You are to us,
How You make us in Your image,
To rule, to have free will,
in small ways You have made us
Like You.

But it seems many think You are gone,
or that You never were.
That this is accident,
That we are slightly more intelligent than ooze.

Some think the body,
what they see,
is all there is,
their motto, "to live for the now."

But if they would stop,
and listen.
Your voice remains,
Truth can be heard.
You came.
You spoke.
You died.
You did not mean this to be
confusion,
or mystery.
So, You spoke.

And it was true.

"In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:4-5).

The darkness understands:
more hate
more war
more money
more fighting
more anger
more killing
more oppressing
more tearing people down
more wealth
more technology
more houses
more cell phones
more televisions
more books
more self-help
more loneliness
more brokenness
more entertainment
more delusion
more fantasy
more drugs
more denial.

The light understands:
purpose
glory
faith
hope
and Love.
More sharing
more giving
more holiness
more building people up
more serving
more joy
more fulfillment
more family
more strangers
more justice
more healing
more acknowledgement of God.

Rejoice! Didn't you hear me, I said Rejoice!!

Philippians 4:4-6
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I love that. Rejoice. I said Rejoice! With an ! point behind it! That pretty much means, be happy sucka. God is awesome and if you have been redeemed and are experiencing true life....There is no greater reason to have joy.

Some friends and I were having a discussion over dinner about it being ok to be happy and to express joy in Christ AND at church. All too often I wonder if young people get the wrong idea about being a Christian. Sometimes it may appear that being a Christian is all serious and somber all the time. It should not be "all the time." Because salvation is a happy thing and should bring you true joy in higher forms than a drug or crude joke can bring you.

My wrongs are wiped away. Love has entered my life. True love, the kind that is unconditional. A relentless love that persists no matter how far I have strayed or how lost I have been. Through all my failures and shortcomings, I am still loved. This can bring nothing but deep joy that would make you want to stand up and rejoice. Maybe even throw your fist in the air and pump it a few times!

Destiny Moment

This is where destiny is. This moment in Tennessee with a group of 21 high school students holds so much of what I desire. Oh! that these young students would take a little piece with them from these moments that can encourage them onward with Christ. May it set the truth before them. May their lives benefit by avoiding the traps and false sources of fulfillment the world will offer them. In heaven, in God's presence, I hope I can witness the glory of the outcomes in their lives and their childrens and their childrens.
I hope they anchor on the rock of Christ and build their lives on Him and Him alone. Strong happy marriages, solid environments for children, faithful to their spouse, giving to those in need, caring for everyone......

From this appointed time. I hope there was a difference made for the good guys. May Truth, Justice, Mercy, Compassion, and Love increase in this place. In this fallen world, drowning in selfishness, corruption, and debauchery, may the good sound their trumpet to announce a victory against those that delight in dark deeds.

The week comes to a close. There is a certain peace in me. Whatever was supposed to happen, whatever God wanted....there is a peace, that it was done. It is satisfying. It is good.

Joy Unspeakable

Lord I come unworthy of you and what you have done. I come to you lacking and lazy with my plans. Yet you come, you come and you fill this place. You overwhelm me with hope and light when it seems hope was gone. You lay hold from heaven and perform a miracle in another's life. Thank you Lord, thank you.

I can't imagine the joy in heaven. The joy when one person makes one decision to sanctify their life....to turn away from the fruit Satan offers. Thank you Lord for allowing me to be so close to be able to witness your saving power to change and give new life. Lord I remember what you did for me. I remember you bringing me out of the dark and into your marvelous light. You gave me new life. A new life of truth, purity, light, love, peace, and joy. My life is now on a firm foundation, I no longer question. A life that delights in pleasing you and pursuing what is good and true rather than hiding and playing in the dark. Oh that others may see you...that they may lay hold of your face, to see your truth; that they may find peace in their soul and love for their brother.

Words can do me no justice to share what my heart cries out! My soul sings to heaven to see your saving grace! I love to see you work. I love the mysterious plans you orchestrate to bring strangers into friendship. Lord what you do I could never plan or imagine. I commit my life to following your lead. Take me Lord, where you will. Take me Lord, I want to see your glory.